Self Care 101 - Life Cycles

Paying attention to the cycles in our lives is one way to practice self-care. It's through paying attention and honoring them (cycles), that we are able to give our bodies what they are wanting and asking for.

I had confessed to one of my cousins that I had been in a major contraction (I'm still swinging in and out ) since I turned in my latest project to my editor. (I like the word contraction better than depression, as it sounds a little more romantic, if pain can be romantic.) This is a cycle of resting and introspection. When it's not understood, it can be misconstrued as something that needs fixing. (Certainly there is validity  in looking at cycles from all angles.) I'm speaking about my personal experience. 

I had been riding an amazing wave of energy for the past two weeks. It felt very much like surfing a really big wave and even Hanging Ten! Everything just kept flowing effortlessly on all of my projects.

As soon as I turned my latest project into my editor, it felt like I had a wipe out! Major! Face first, off the nose of the board, now tumbling in the sand! What I've been able to recognize is this is a pattern or a cycle for me.  I'm trying to learn how to just BE in it, not fixing it or glossing over where I am and what I'm feeling. 

I was happy to experience a raise in my energy while teaching a drumming class at a local retirement community. I know that changing the energy range that we are vibrating to can either raise or lower our energy levels. (mood) But what actually amazed me was that simply by being in the vibration of the drums and music my frame of mind drastically changed for the better. I had coffee with a colleague and said, "I'm actually here today, able to talk to you because I went to drumming class yesterday!  

I continue to watch as the cycles in my life unfold, trying to honor each one, but sometimes....it's just about dancing/drumming/singing/playing and surfing! 

SHAMANIC ASTROLOGY

Shamanic Astrology saved my life.....not literally, but REALLY close! When my life fell apart, the church said, “Give more, do more, pray more.....keep smiling!” The doctors said, “You’ll be fine, we’ll give you hormones, anti-depressants and sleeping pills! (Uh, you did that for my mother and my sister and their both dead....no thanks!)

But what I have since found out that when ‘life happens!’ the invitation is to ‘become real’ to know who we are on a soul level, who we were created to be and that doesn’t happen quickly or easily....even The Velveteen Rabbit wanted to become real without all of the ‘sad’ things happening to him!

I was so desperate for some answers and I knew someone had to know something about this thing we call life! A friend said "You should call Daniel Giamario!” “Give me the number!,” and I drove to Portland, Oregon (I lived in California) to see him. He was the first person who had anything to say that I could relate to at that time in my life.

Over ten years later, I call this man my friend and I am still singing the praises of knowing our own personal cycles in our lives and how when we are consciously moving through life, God/The Universe supports our choices every time!

As I was researching my second book, GPS for Living, Navigating Through Life, (Now for sale:) it became more evident to me about the cycles in our lives and as the bible says in Ecclesiastics, ‘There is a season for everything, under heaven.’

We can easily see in nature that everything has a life cycle. Easily recognizable are the butterflies, frogs, starfish, moon and plants. We even know that we as humans have a cycle in our lives, from infancy to adulthood, but what is more intriguing is the cycles in our lives that we may not be aware of.

There are cycles in our lives when we are to rest and times when all the doors are open and we can move forward without resistance. There are many cycles that have the same characteristics and they just cycle around, each time giving up another opportunity to go deeper, getting lessons that our souls have come to experience.

Spending 5 days in an intensive learning more about timelines I came to see clearer that we all have age appropriate timelines as well as personal cycles that are unique to us all as individuals. Once again Shamanic Astrology gives everyone permission to be who they are and appreciates the fact that everyone has their own unique gifts to share with the world and their own unique time to share it in.

If you find your body wanting to rest simply honor that, knowing that~this too shall pass:) and all too soon the cycles will change and you’ll be full speed ahead, but this time, fully present because you honored the rest your cycle was offering.

Happy honoring of the cycles in your life!!!